Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1923)

6SS Motion Picture X c w s Gen. Gouraud Lauds " Covered Wagon" AT the request of General Henri Joseph .Eugene Goraud. the French war hero now touring the United States, a special showing of "The Covered Wagon" was held Saturday night at Grauman's Hollywood Egyptian theatre for the party of forty persons, headed by General Gouraud. The party included his staff officers, American War Department representatives, officials and members of the Rainbow Division Veterans, the President of the Los Angeles City Council and the French Vice Consul. Charles Eyton, representing Paramount's Production Department, was personally congratulated by General Gouraud for this great screen achievement. General Gouraud said: " Ever since I came to America I have been trying to see ' The Covered Covered Wagon.' Everywhere I have heard about it. When one hears about motion pictures very often one is deceived. But in this case there was no deception." N. Y. Houses Book Warner Product Rivoli, Rialto and Strand Theatres Will Show First Run Presentations Bradley King Busy With Ince Scenarios FOR the first time in the history of the independent field the Warner Brothers forthcoming series for the 1923-24 season, which are being made from popular plays and famous novels, will he given first run presentations at the RialtO, Rivoli and Strand theatres, New York. According to the announcement the three theatres have booked an equal number of the Warner features. The deal with Famous Players and the Mark-Strand organization was successfully negotiated by Morris Kohn and Charles S. Goetz, of the Dependable Exchange, Inc., who control the exclusive rights to the Warner productions in the Greater New York territory. Another, deal with Famous Players for the Warner series was made by Oscar Oldknow, of the Southern States Film Company, Atlanta, who has taken the territory covering Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North and South Carolina and Tennessee. Jackie Has Thrill in " Long Live the King" "Long Live the King," the Metro picturization of Mary Roberts Rinehart's novel, has adventure, romance, colorful background and drama, and then — for good measure— one big thrill — the rescue of the Crown Prince of Lavonia (Jackie Coogan) who has been imprisoned in a cellar. The prince has managed to slip up to the roof of the inn, four stories above the ground, and sees his faithful Lieutenant Nikky (Alan Forrest) riding in search of him. As he catches the eye of bis aide-de-camp, he jumps from the roof right into Nikky's arms. Director Victor Schertzingcr and Jack Coogan. Sr., finally safeguarded Jackie's leap without resorting to the usual "double," and when the thrilling jump is flashed on the screen— it will be His Royal Highness Jackie himself who makes the leap. Progress Pictures Closes Deal With Arrow J. S. Jossey, president of Progress Pictures of Ohio, who was visiting in New York City for the past few days, returned this week to Cleveland with a contract in his pocket which called for the distribution in Ohio of the following imposing line-un of product : " Man and Wrife," "The Rip Tide," "The Broken Violin," " None So Blind," " The Little Red Schoolhouse," all Arrow specials, and the two big Arrow serials. " The Fighting Skipper " and " The Santa Fe Trail." Ohe high brow arho says all pictures ar* the bunl^, — J-fe'll never he anything but a By the terms of this deal the entire chain of Paramount houses throughout the South will show the eighteen Warner productions. A factor involved in the transaction is that the eighteen pictures were booked without a screening. In commenting on the Paramount and Strand deals, Mr. Kohn said : "The Warner Brothers pictures being shown in the Paramount and Strand theatres in New York will pave the way for the future booking of independent productions that are big enough for a first run showing. Our transaction was made purely on the strength of the Warner program, the bigness and popularity of each picture, and the big way in which the entire scries is being produced. " The deal merely goes to prove that the big organizations controlling the first run theatres stand ready to book the independent made pictures provided the standard of production is in keeping with their high standard of presentation." " Circus Days " Lauded by Reviewers Chicago Critics Proclaim First National Feature as Jackie Coogan's Best had plenty of adventure, became a noted performer, and came back home all dressed up, driv ing an automobile, carrying beautiful dresses and hats for his mother, and with his pockets full of money to pay off the cruel unc!e who had taunted him and his mother about their poverty ! Could anything be more perfect in all the world?" The Chicago theatre did excellent business throughout a hot week on "Circus Days" which brought Jackie Coogan's admirers by the thousands to the box office, it is claimed. It is now being released by First National. Uf^IRCUS Days," Jackie Coo' gan's current First National release, will become the most popular Coogan picture ever issued and one of the sensational screen successes if its reception in Chicago, where it had its world premiere al the Chicago theatre on July 15th, can be taken as a forecast. The criticisms of the Chicago critics supplemented in every vvay the excellent reviews which were puhlished in the trade journals in the past month. In the Herald and Examiner, Polly Wood stated : "For the youngsters 'Circus Days' will be a real adventure of a manly little boy; for you and me, 'Circus Days' will be the real remembrance of other limes. And for any one it will be good entertainment too swiftly passed — many laughs and several enjoyable tears. If you don't like Jackie and his new picture — well, that's just an impossibility, so whytalk about it?" Rob Reel, in the Chicago Evening x merican, wrote : "There are no 'buts' about it. Jackie Coogan's latest photodrama 'Circus Days' showing at the Chicago theatre, is a knockout." Mae Tinee in the Chicago Daily Tribune stated: "'Circus Days' is the kind of picture that will, without fail, 'get' old and young. The whole world loves a circus, and the title would gather us in, if nothing else would. Then it has a sort of old homestead-melodi amatic atmosphere into which all the characters fit marvelously well. It is well directed. It is well acted by everybody in the cast, but the star does some marvelous work." In the Evening Post Genevieve Harris wrote: "This is every kid's dream come true! It's a story of a boy who ran away to join a circus. Smallest Legion Post Has Big Benefit One of the smallest American Legion Posts in the United States, recently had one of the biggest benefits, through the courtesty of Universal. It was the Belongea Post, No. 316, of Mackinac Island, Michigan, which has 23 members or 100% of the World War veterans on the island. The community sent 26 men into service, seventeen of whom got to France, and one of whom, W. A. Belongea, was killed in action. Two others have since died. Herman Stern, assistant general sales manager for Universal, with headquarters in Chicago, recently visited Mackinac and heard about the 1C0% patriotism of the little island, which in its varied history has been under three flags, French, British and American. He volunteered an elaborate Universal program for a benefit. The pictures included "Trifling With Honor." a Jewel, "Nobody's Darling," a Baby Peggy Century, and a special reel showing shots from the forthcoming; "Hunchback of Notre Dame" BRADLEY KING, chief of the Ince scenario department, celebrated her third year with the producer by completing the adaptation of " Anna Christie," which has just been placed in production, and is planned as the biggest offering from the Ince studios of the year. Miss King is now engaged on the adaptation of " Country Lanes and City Pavements." At the same time she is revising her stage play, " A Man of Action," now having a run at a Los Angeles theatre, for presentation on Broadway in the fall. The play she adapted from her original story of the same name, which was presented on the screen with Douglas McLean in the leading role. " Anna Christie " makes the twentieth script Miss King has given to the screen since she first signed with Thos. H. Ince. Novelties Planned for "Rupert of Hentzau" The Sclznick offices are laying out a special line of exploitation novelties for "Rupert of Hentzau," following its two weeks successful run at the Mark Strand Theatre in New York. For the general release, "Rupert of Hentzau ' will have a miniature edition of the novel published which will be distributed in all the cities where the production is to be shown. The Selznick officers arc also arranging through newspaper syndicates to have the novel re-issued so that it will be running about the same time :he film is presented throughout the country. De Luxe Buys "Adventures In Far North " A. Luchese, president of the De Luxe Film Co., closed last week with Lee-Bradford Corporation for their production " Adventures in the Far North." Immediately on his return to Philadelphia, he was successful in booking this production for the entire Stanlev Circuit. a. Gen Wilsorv prodi/cton «fie»S£0 in SEPTEMBER. GQAND-ASHEa. DISTRIBUTING CORP